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Sam Allardyce knows concentration will be key against the Seasiders on Tuesday evening
20.02.2012
Sam Allardyce has stressed that West Ham United must be at the top of their game when they face Blackpool on Tuesday night. The Seasiders have been on a good run of late, remaining unbeaten in their last eight league games and Big Sam knows that the team will have to be at their best to get the right result. The Hammers was pleased to report no new injury concerns ahead of the game and has George McCartney, Gary O'Neil and Nicky Maynard all pushing to replace suspended duo Kevin Nolan and Matt Taylor. "Blackpool have come out of the pack in recent weeks with a fantastic run that has given us cause for concern - there must be no slip ups tonight," Allardyce said. "They have crept up the table and are keeping us on our toes and we must compete for everything straight from the off."
After playing for nearly 140 minutes with just ten men in the their last two games, the Hammers will once again need to give everything for the full ninety minutes tonight given Blackpool's recent record in the last ten minutes of matches. However, Big Sam thinks the Seasiders' FA Cup exploits at the weekend may play into the Hammers' hands after the east London side had game-free weeken while Tuesday night's hosts lost 2-0 at Everton on Saturday. "We must be tactically right, Blackpool have a great record of coming back in the last ten minutes so if we are leading we cannot rest on our laurels as Blackpool's record in the last ten speaks for itself.
"Some of their players who will play against us did play in the FA Cup on Saturday against Everton so if there is any fatigue in their side we must try and exploit it and take advantage."
The game at Blackpool this evening represents the start of a run of ten games in six weeks for the Hammers and the manager knows it is important to pick up points consistently from now until the end of the season. "We have a tough schedule coming up so it's important to pick up as many points as possible. Hopefully we can finish the month with at least four points from the two games which sets us up nicely for a packed March. "The pressure will mount towards the end of the season so it's much better to have points in the bag rather than rely on games in hand."
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Collison aiming for promotion
West Ham midfielder hoping to keep up push during run-in
Last Updated: February 21, 2012 1:16pm
SSN
Jack Collison is hoping West Ham can maintain their push for promotion when they travel to Blackpool on Tuesday night. The Hammers have the best away record in the league this season, picking up 27 points on their travels. Fifth placed Blackpool though are on a good run having lost just one of their last 10 league games and the midfielder knows it will be a difficult task. Collison told Sky Sports News Radio: "Every game now is big between here and the end of the season. "Obviously it's getting tighter and tighter at the top, Blackpool themselves are on a good run at the minute and it's important that we beat the teams in and around us. "It's going to be a tough match but one we are looking forward to. "Obviously they are a very good team and at the moment they are in a good position in the table, so they're going to be looking to claw back points on us and we want to send out a statement to the rest of the league to show that we mean business. "Our ultimate goal at the end of the season is automatic promotion, the games are coming thick and fast now so it's up to us to put a run together at the right time of the season to get ourselves back in the Premiership."
Pressure
Having been relegated last season, West Ham are one of the 'bigger' clubs in the Championship, and were seen as one of the favourites to go straight back up.
Collison admits having experienced players in the dressing room has helped the squad deal with the pressure. He added: "Having the likes of Kevin Nolan and Mark Noble who have got promotion before, it's great having the likes of them in the changing room. "There's been pressure on us from the start of the season, if you look at the players we signed over the summer and obviously the manager was brought in, everyone was looking at us to be the team to bounce back and every team comes to Upton Park and wants to cause an upset. "But we seem to have coped alright with the pressure this far and it's up to us now to put a run of wins together at the right time this season and keep progressing."
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Hammers table Green offer
Goalkeeper's decision rests on West Ham's promotion bid
Last Updated: February 21, 2012 8:29am
SSN
West Ham co-owner David Sullivan claims the club have put 'a fantastic offer' to Robert Green, but appreciates they must be a top-flight side if he is to sign. The England international was among those to stick with the Hammers following their relegation out of the Premier League last season. Rumours regarding his future rumbled on throughout the summer of 2011, and again during the recent winter transfer window, but he remains part of the set-up at Upton Park. He has helped West Ham to place themselves within the promotion-chasing pack in the Championship, with an immediate return to the top tier very much on the cards. The Hammers know they have to take that step if they are to retain the services of their key men and Green is among those who deserve to be playing at a higher level.
Promotion
They have put a competitive offer to the 32-year-old shot-stopper, but Sullivan concedes that any decision regarding his future depends on what division the club finding themselves competing in next season. "Green's contract is up this summer," he said in the Guardian. "We have made him a fantastic offer, subject to us [getting promoted and] staying in the Premier League. "But if we don't stay in the Premier League, we won't be able to afford him and he won't want to stay. So we have to go up."
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West Ham made bids for Carlos Tevez and Fernando Torres in January
West Ham co-owner David Sullivan has revealed the club failed in bids for both Carlos Tevez and Fernando Torres in January.
Metro.co.uk
Speaking to the West Ham Till I Die website, Sullivan explained that he contacted Chelsea about the possibility of bringing their £50m striker to east London to give him the opportunity to regain his form. 'Well if he couldn't score in the Premier League, come along with us for a month,' said Sullivan. 'We might fire him up. They just said "not at this moment in time".' Fellow club owner David Gold confirmed the Hammers were hoping to bring the Spanish international to the club on a short term loan. In another audacious transfer bid, West Ham contacted officials at Manchester City to enquire about Tevez, who began his career in English football at West Ham.
He has just returned to City following a long stand-off after he was suspended by the club after allegedly refusing to play in a Champions League game against Bayern Munich. 'Three times we asked [about signing Tevez]. Three times they said "no chance".' After recently returning from Argentina, the striker could still play a part in Manchester City's title bid if he can patch up his difference with manager Roberto Mancini. Despite Sullivan's lofty transfer ambitions, West Ham manager Sam Allardyce had to settle for slightly less fearsome new arrivals when the transfer window shut, as Nicky Maynard and Ricardo Vaz Te joined from Bristol City and Barnsley respectively.
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West Ham United owner David Sullivan accuses Scott Parker of shirking tackles ahead of his move to Tottenham
Telegraph.co.uk
By Telegraph staff11:29AM GMT 21 Feb 2012Comment
West Ham United owner David Sullivan has accused former captain Scott Parker of pulling out of tackles in an attempt to avoid injury ahead of his move to Tottenham Hotspur at the start of the season. Parker, who left West Ham following the club's relegation to the Championship, won the Football Writer's Association 'Player of the Year' award last season for performances. But Sullivan believes the 31-year-old midfielder changed his style to protect himself in his final few appearances for the Upton Park club. "This might not please many people but look at Scott Parker's performance in the first five games this season," Sullivan told the West Ham til I die website. "To me it didn't look like he was doing the tackling you'd normally expect him to do. "He was running about, he was doing OK but he wasn't doing the tackling we know he can do because he knew that the one thing that would stop a move, would be an injury. "To me it looked like he didn't want to be there. He told us he didn't want to be there. "He was protecting himself, either consciously or subconsciously. He's gone to Spurs and he is back to his old self."
Sullivan also revealed his regret over Senegalese striker Demba Ba, who moved to Newcastle on a free transfer at the end of last season. West Ham were unable to secure Ba on a long-term deal after he invoked a clause in his contract allowing him to leave the club if they were relegated. He has since gone on to transform Newcastle's fortunes in the Premier League with his in prolific goalscoring. "I'm told he's got a £7 million buy-out clause at Newcastle, and he gets half the money." Sullivan said. "So if they sell him for seven, they will only net about three because they paid his agent £2 million to get him out of here. "Getting £3 million is not bad, but for a player of his quality it's not fantastic. "It's one of those mistakes that happen, but it's probably one of the worst mistakes I have ever made in my life." "If he was with us now and his knee had held up, because remember, he did have a very very bad knee, I think we'd be 15 points clear, I really do. "He'd be cutting through those defences. You live and you learn."
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Sam Allardyce wants cool heads to avoid another off night
Ken Dyer
21 Feb 2012
Evening Standard
Sam Allardyce has warned his West Ham players they must show more self‑control if they want to win the Championship. Tonight they go to promotion rivals Blackpool without suspended pair Kevin Nolan and Matt Taylor, who were sent off in successive games. The Hammers have had six men dismissed this season and Allardyce said: "I've told the players I don't want to see any more red cards. They need to keep control of themselves. Considering what's happened to us in the last two matches with players sent off, we've done pretty well to have earned four points. "We have to keep 11 on the pitch at all costs and ensure the strength in depth of the squad covers for the loss of Kevin and Matt. "The squad at this stage of the season is so important, which is why I fancy Blackpool because they have a lot of players."
West Ham would go back on top of the table, with a game in hand over Southampton, if they can beat fifth-placed Blackpool tonight. Allardyce is aware of the push being made by the teams in the play-off places. "Blackpool have been on a great run and, along with Reading and Birmingham, have really come out of the pack in recent weeks," said the manager. "These clubs are keeping us very much on our toes and when we come across one of them, as we do tonight, it's very important that we get a result."
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Ravel Morrison told he must wait for West Ham chance
PA TUESDAY 21 FEBRUARY 2012
Independent.co.uk
Ravel Morrison has been told he must wait for his West Ham debut as Sam Allardyce's men seek to go back to the top of the npower Championship table at Blackpool tonight. Morrison has not featured for the Hammers since his £1million move from Manchester United in January and he is also unlikely to play at Bloomfield Road as Allardyce preaches patience. Allardyce told the club's official website: "He is lacking in first-team experience at the moment and our position, with the necessity to gain automatic promotion, means it's a difficult team to break into. "We have a wealth of top-quality, experienced players already available. Ravel will have to play a patient game and wait until it is the right time for us and him."
The Hammers will be without suspended pair Matt Taylor and Kevin Nolan and the injured Papa Bouba Diop, while Blackpool miss striker Gary Taylor-Fletcher and defender Alex Baptiste.
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Promotion key to keeping Green as Hammers fear goalkeeper could leave
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER
Last updated at 9:59 AM on 21st February 2012
Daily Mail
Robert Green has been offered a 'fantastic' new deal to stay at West Ham next season - providing they get promoted to the Barclays Premier League. Sam Allardyce's side can reclaim top spot in the Championship tonight with a win over fellow high-flyers Blackpool at Bloomfield Road. West Ham's promotion hopes have certainly been boosted by the form of England international Green who has been oustanding of late, impressing in a series of fine displays. The Hammers are keen to keep the 32-year-old for the long-term and reward him for staying at Upton Park despite suffering relegation last season. But co-owner David Sullivan concedes the club won't be able to keep hold of Green should they fail to win promotion at the first time of asking. 'Green's contract is up this summer,' Sullivan said, speaking to political commentator Iain Dale's fanzine blog, West Ham Til I Die. 'We have made him a fantastic offer, subject to us [getting promoted and] staying in the Premier League.
'But if we don't stay in the Premier League, we won't be able to afford him and he won't want to stay. So we have to go up.'
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West Ham confirm failed Torres bid
February 21, 2012
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By ESPNsoccernet staff
West Ham co-owner David Sullivan has revealed the Championship club made moves to sign Fernando Torres from Chelsea and Carlos Tevez from Manchester City during the January transfer window. Torres, a £50 million signing from Liverpool, has struggled to regain top form again this season, scoring just four goals during the current campaign. After recently returning from Argentina, Tevez could still feature for Manchester City after a high-profile falling out with manager Roberto Mancini as a result of his refusing to warm-up in a Champions League clash in Munich last year. Sullivan, though, says neither Chelsea or City were willing to negotiate terms for the out-of-favour strikers. "We tried to get Torres from Chelsea," Sullivan told West Ham Till I Die. "Well if he couldn't score in the Premier League, come along with us for a month. We might fire him up. They just said 'not at this moment in time'. "Three times we asked [about signing Tevez]. Three times they said 'no chance'." Sullivan's co-owner David Gold later confirmed the Hammers were seeking to sign Torres on a "short-term loan".
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Collison eyes Olympic call
Welsh midfielder would like to compete for Team GB
Last Updated: February 21, 2012 1:31pm
SSN
Jack Collison has revealed he would like to represent Great Britain at the Olympic Games in London this summer. The West Ham midfielder has 10 caps for Wales and despite the Football Association of Wales (FAW) being against their players participating on behalf of Team GB, Collison says he would welcome a call from Stuart Pearce, who will manage the team. The 23-year-old who was born in England, but has a Welsh grandfather, feels that the opportunity to represent Great Britain on his own doorstep would be too good to turn down. Collison told Sky Sports News Radio: "Obviously with the Olympics being on the doorstep, it could be a great opportunity, obviously there is a good lot players eligible to play, so we just have to wait and see what happens. "I definitely wouldn't turn it down if the call came. It would be a great opportunity. The Olympics doesn't come around often and although there are a lot of people against it, I think it would be a great opportunity, particularly being on the doorstep of where I am now. "And if I'm not involved in the Olympics I'll still obviously be watching."
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